Class 6A Semifinals: Recap, Standouts & Title Preview

Moore 64 Edmond Santa Fe 55 It wasn’t always pretty but Moore lead for the bulk of the game and in the second half stretched out the lead for a comfortable semifinals victory. Their defense was suffocating as Santa Fe defenders were unable to gain separation, leading to Santa Fe only shooting 28.6% from the field. [player_tooltip player_id="1164876" first="Marcus" last="Dockins"], 6’3 Senior Wing, Moore The heart of the Lions team, the football standout is one of the most passionate players in the state. He would not be denied around the rim as he racked up 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds too. He even stepped out and nailed two three pointers. His second half slams were powerful exclamation points on the Lions’ victory. It’s fitting that Dockins had such a huge game in Norman. The football star will be attending the University of Oklahoma as a preferred walk on this wall. [player_tooltip player_id="1367226" first="Darian" last="Grant"], 6’5 Sophomore Forward, Moore "Staring in your role" is a great thing to watch and Grant just did that. He’s an impressive athlete with good strength and athleticism but at times in the past he floated along the perimeter too much. That wasn’t the case tonight as he was committed to helping his team win. The biggest indicator of that was the 6 blocks he recorded as he played bigger than his size with strong play around the rim. He also ended the night with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Long term Grant will need to improve his perimeter skills, but performances like tonight are great to continue to strengthen his foundation as a physical forward around the rim. Joe Adams, 6’1 Senior Guard, Edmond Santa Fe The one Wolf to find success was the senior who poured in 29 points and grabbed an eye popping 16 rebounds. 5 of those rebounds were of the offensive variety. Adams attacked the rim relentlessly throughout the game, doing just enough to keep his team within striking distance. Then late in the game, he added in some prolific mid range and outside shooting. The senior was another player this weekend that left it all on the court in his final contest. Edmond North 76 Booker T Washington 69 Tip was scheduled for 9:00 PM. It was closer to 10:00 PM by the time the game tipped. It was worth the wait. Edmond North proved tat they could play at the Booker T Washington tempo and they hammered the Hornets on the glass and inside. The Huskies’ rebounding edge was an astronomical 39-20. And they needed every board to hold off a Booker T team that kept coming and coming. Another key in their victory was hitting their free throws, as they went 28-34 from the charity stripe. For a sophomore laden team, many outsiders would claim they’re ahead of schedule making the Class 6A title game. But with the poise and desire the sophomores play for, it looks like they’re right on time.   Top Performers [player_tooltip player_id="1332074" first="Dylan" last="Warlick"], 6’6 Senior Forward, Booker T Washington Mr. Reliable. Mr. Fundamental. Mr. Just Gets the Job Done. The sophomore physically dominates games like a senior and he finished with 16 points and 14 rebounds. A lot of it was his typical mauling of opponents inside with post moves and putbacks. But importantly to his team and his personal development, he was a key facet of breaking the press as a controlled and clam ballhandler agains the Booker T defense. [player_tooltip player_id="1164879" first="Aaron" last="Potter"], 6’3 Senior Guard, Booker T Washington 19 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals. A very good stat line for any player but the impact that Potter makes as a leader and tone setter goes well beyond the box score. Potter joined Booker T Washington over the summer and while fellow seniors Parker and Johnson are talented. He was the jolt they needed to fully make this run after starting the year unranked in the initial Class 6A coach’s rankings. The trio brought the best out of each other and had Booker T Washington playing in big games again. On the court Potter has outstanding vision, defensive instincts and has shown he can score the ball with the best in the state. It comes down to him having a trait that isn’t always guaranteed among modern basketball prospects. Competitiveness. Potter is full of it, and it is what elevates him and any team he plays on. [player_tooltip player_id="955391" first="Kam" last="Parker"] 6’1 Senior Guard, Booker T Washington Parker has been an explosive scorer all season long. He had a couple "how did he make" that type moments when he went among the trees against Edmond North. Add in his ability to hit off the mid-range, and buries triples either as a spot up or off the dribble threat and it makes for one heck of a scoring punch. Parker finished with 22 points in his final high school game. But his basketball playing days are far from done as the talented guard’s ability to score will translate to the next level. [player_tooltip player_id="1164859" first="Cahlese" last="Lee"], 6’2 Senior Guard, Edmond North The lone senior in the North starting lineup usually makes his mark as an high energy, athletic slasher. Lee did some of that tonight but he also nailed two dagger threes in the final frame that helped Edmond North pull out the gutsy victory. [player_tooltip player_id="1367221" first="TO" last="Barrett"], 6’3 Sophomore Guard, Edmond North As covered against Jenks, Barrett has made huge strides as a leader and primary ballhandler for Edmond North this year. Playing against the seniors and pressure defense of Booker T Washington is a whole new test, especially for a youngster. There were bumps along the way, but he earned trips to the line and finished with 17 points on the night. And importantly the win. There’s a lot of signs that Barrett has "it" when it comes to being a Division One recruit with major upside. His strength and quickness are the biggest merits for him, but the rest of the traits needed are starting to come along.     Title Preview West #2 Edmond North (23-5) vs West #3 Moore (22-7)   Back in early January the teams met in the title game of the Putnam City Invitational. Edmond North won 54-42. A few days later, Edmond North beat them 56-54 in conference play. Then to top it off, last Friday Edmond North won 45-38 over Moore to win Area. The cliche is that beating the same team three times is tough enough. So what does that say about Edmond North and their youngsters going for a fourth win over Moore? One thing is for sure, Moore with Dockins at the heart of their team won’t be out toughed on Saturday night. Both teams have a good blend of size and athleticism, leading to a fairly even match up on paper. An exciting aspect of this match up is the sheer amount of super sophomores in this game. There’s Grant, Warlick and Barrett who were mentioned earlier in this article. But possibly the most sophomore in the game will be Moore lead guard [player_tooltip player_id="1367215" first="Chiante" last="Tramble"]. He was quieter by his already high standards on Friday night, but he’s a smart, tough and strong crafty playmaker and scorer. The sophomores in this game, and other title games across the classifications, are an outstanding way to end this season and serve as a bridge to exciting upcoming seasons.